ZAGREB, Dec 3 (Hina) - According to unofficial announcements, the Croatian government will not okay a draft constitutional law on the rights of national minorities, president of the Serb People's Council (SNV) Milorad Pupovac said
Monday. He wondered why this law was being put "aside", namely why at least the existing law was not being implemented. "The practice from the past ten years of not implementing or suspending the majority of regulations continues", Pupovac told a press conference. According to Pupovac, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which led the anti-minority policy in the past, is now blocking the adoption of laws considering minorities, and the ruling coalition has more consideration for the HDZ's opinion than the rights of the national minorities. He stressed the results of the recently conducted census must be announced as soon as possible because they as well have influence on exercising r
ZAGREB, Dec 3 (Hina) - According to unofficial announcements, the
Croatian government will not okay a draft constitutional law on the
rights of national minorities, president of the Serb People's
Council (SNV) Milorad Pupovac said Monday. He wondered why this law
was being put "aside", namely why at least the existing law was not
being implemented.
"The practice from the past ten years of not implementing or
suspending the majority of regulations continues", Pupovac told a
press conference.
According to Pupovac, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which
led the anti-minority policy in the past, is now blocking the
adoption of laws considering minorities, and the ruling coalition
has more consideration for the HDZ's opinion than the rights of the
national minorities.
He stressed the results of the recently conducted census must be
announced as soon as possible because they as well have influence on
exercising rights of national minorities.
Asked whether the normalisation of relations between Croatia and
Yugoslavia was directly related to exercising rights of
minorities, Pupovac said yes and hailed the cancellation of the
border car insurance as of December 1, and the announcement of first
talks on an agreement on national minorities' rights. He stressed
Croatia needed to make room for a minority policy.
Commenting on the restitution of flats to former tenancy rights'
holders who left Croatia, Pupovac said the conditions for the
return were created in 1996. There is no difference between the then
law on the nationalisation, and the law dating 1945, because those
laws are not fair and the political force stood behind them, he
added. Pupovac expressed belief the current atmosphere regarding
the issue would calm down.
The state must take account of the holders of tenancy rights who,
due to objective reasons, could not have repurchased flats and the
issue cannot be postponed forever, Pupovac said. Otherwise,
Croatia will remain a hostage of the war policy, he concluded.
(hina) np sb